The present invention relates to a protective device against side impacts for passengers in an automotive vehicle, the device comprising at least one inflatable airbag which in its folded state is arranged behind at least one A column covering.
Such a protective device against side impacts is known from DE 29 605 897. In the prior-art protective device an airbag is positionally fixed in a plastic sleeve and arranged behind a covering in the area of an A column and a roof frame. The airbag communicates at one end with a gas generator and extends in its inflated state over a lateral portion in the vehicle to protect, in particular, a passenger""s head against injuries.
In view of the already known protective device against side impacts, it is the object of the subject matter of the application to provide a sufficiently stable covering while permitting an unobstructed exiting of the airbag to protect a passenger.
This object is achieved with the A column covering being made from a material particularly resistant to bending and a pivot line which extends substantially in the longitudinal direction of the A column and around which at least one covering section of the A column covering is pivotable to release an outlet gap for the airbag relative to the A column in the direction of the passenger compartment.
The flexural strength of the A column covering makes sure that the covering is sufficiently stable and substantially self-supporting and that complicated fastening means for fastening the covering to the A column are not required. At the same time, the A column covering which is resistant to bending provides a certain protection for the passenger upon contact with the A column or A column covering, whereby the airbag folded behind the A column covering and the supply line thereof and possibly the gas generator are simultaneously protected against impacts, or the like, from the outside.
To enable the airbag to exit in an easy and reliable manner in case of emergency despite the use of a bending resistant material for the A column covering, the A column covering has a pivot line. Upon inflation of the airbag at least one covering section of the A column covering is pivoted around said pivot line to release an outlet gap. As a result, the A column covering need not be detached as a whole from the A column to permit an inflation of the airbag.
An A column covering can be made from a bending resistant material in a simple way by using e.g. a mixed-fiber nonwoven material. Said material can be cut to size and shaped accordingly.
Preferably, such a mixed-fiber nonwoven material as a needled mixed-fiber nonwoven material may be composed of reinforcing fibers and matrix fibers. Different materials can be used for the various fibers. Flax, in particular, is used for the reinforcing fibers because of its availability and recyclability. A material which is preferred for the matrix fibers because of its characteristics is polypropylene. In a preferred embodiment, the mixing ratio of the components may be 50:50, based on weight percent.
To obtain an optically attractive surface and to enhance the flexural strength in addition, a decoration material may be laminated onto a visible side of the A column covering.
Thanks to the self-supporting structure and the flexural strength of the A column covering, there is e.g. no gluing over the whole surface of the A column, but a few fixing means are sufficient for a detachable fastening to the A column. Preferably, such fixing means may be arranged on a rear side of the A column covering that is opposite to the visible side.
A simple embodiment for such a fixing means can be realized by forming the fixing means in a per se known manner by way of a clip and a retainer detachably holding the same.
Said fixing means may e.g. be used for pivoting the A column covering as a whole, with the pivot line extending here along fixing means arranged in asymmetry with the A column covering. For instance, said fixing means are arranged at one side in offset fashion relative to a center line of the A column covering which extends in the longitudinal direction of the A column, and upon inflation of the airbag the A column covering is pivoted around the fastening points between A column and A column covering. As a result, the covering section extending over the center line up to the fixing means is lifted from the A column to such an extent that the airbag can exit through the outlet gap formed thereby.
In a further embodiment the pivot line may extend along a weakened material portion formed in the A column covering. An example of a weakened material portion is a film hinge or also a projection projecting preferably at a rear side of the A column covering. Upon inflation of the airbag the covering section which is respectively extending up to the weakened or reinforced material portion is pivoted for releasing an outlet gap for the airbag.
A further possibility of implementing a pivot line follows e.g. from the measure that the pivot line is formed by a press line which separates surfaces of the A column covering that have been pressed to differently strong degrees. For instance, in such a case a more weakly pressed covering section will pivot outwards in relation to a more strongly pressed covering section along the press line upon inflation of the airbag.
Instead of covering sections that have been pressed to differently strong degrees, covering sections of a different structure or different composition may be used, of which one respective covering section can be pivoted along a corresponding pivot line relative to the other covering section upon inflation of the airbag. Moreover, it is possible to combine the above-mentioned different configurations of pivot lines with one another, a combination being also possible with the fixing means which are arranged in asymmetry with the center line of the A column covering.
For instance, in order to arrange an airbag not only in the area of the A column, the coverings of B and/or C and/or D column may be constructed by analogy with the A column covering. As a result, in the whole lateral area the passengers are protected by airbags, in particular in the head area, at the front and also at the rear inside the vehicle. Furthermore, there is the possibility that one airbag exits to the front and one to the rear in a corresponding manner, for instance by way of a corresponding covering of the B column; in this case the B column covering has two pivotable covering sections for the two airbags. For instance, an airbag in the area of the A column might thus be dispensed with.
In modem automotive vehicles having low Cd values, A and C or D columns are inclined to the rear and to the front, respectively, to a relatively strong degree so that these pass into one another in the roof area. With such a design, the A and C or D column coverings can be made integral in an analogous manner.
To fix the inflated airbag, holding points may be arranged for the airbag in the area of the A and C or D column, in particular at the lower end thereof. The airbag may be connected to said holding points via restraints, belts, or the like. This applies by analogy to several airbags exiting from the various column coverings or to an integral airbag having sections exiting in the area of the various columns.